The book of Ezekiel is full of different imagery depicting the state of the nation's of Israel and Judah. Women were mentioned in different places referring to real women such as the enchantresses or women depicting the character of societies. All throughout scripture, the people of God have been given feminine attributes and are sometimes referred as the bride of God, the bride of Christ, daughters of God, daughters of Zion among many others. These feminine attributes include positive characteristics such as compassion, empathy, caring, loving,respectful, appreciative etc. However, some of the feminine depictions of the people of God demonstrate characters that show the weaknesses of the females. For example, we see greed, susceptibility, physical and emotional weakness among many others. Two such feminine depictions are mentioned in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 23:1 states this: "The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother. They became prostitutes in Egypt, engaging in prostitution from their youth. In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed."
The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem. (Ezekiel 23:4)
The verses 2-3 of Ezekiel 23 explain the moral state of these women: they were prostitutes. These women were born by one mother and their moral decadence was the same. Their prostitution was done in Egypt. The verse reveals this truth: "The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem." These women are not nameless. Oholah and Oholibah were daughters of the most high God. This revelation implies that the book is referring to symbolic daughters. Oholah and Oholibah refer to the nation's of Israel and Judah. The very detailed description of their prostitution in Ezekiel 23:5-23 shows how the nations of Israel and Judah forsook God and chased after all the foreign gods in the lands they dwelt. They lusted after gods without power. They defiled themselves with the high and mighty. Oholah's sin led to her deliverance to the Assyrians. The Assyrians stripped her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women, and punishment was inflicted on her (Ezekiel 23:10).
Even with all these, her sister Oholibah was not moved. She even carried her prostitution further to the Assyrians, the Chaldeans, the Babylonians. Then a prophecy was given against Oholibah: “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to deliver you into the hands of those you hate, to those you turned away from in disgust. They will deal with you in hatred and take away everything you have worked for. They will leave you stark naked, and the shame of your prostitution will be exposed. Your lewdness and promiscuity have brought this on you, because you lusted after the nations and defiled yourself with their idols. You have gone the way of your sister; so I will put her cup into your hand." (Ezekiel 23:28-31). The detestable practices of Oholah and Oholibah attracted God's judgement. In Ezekiel 24:36-39, The Lord said to Ezekiel: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront them with their detestable practices, for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them. They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary and desecrated my Sabbaths. On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated it. That is what they did in my house."
If we are appalled by Oholah and Oholibah, imagine God! As much as we might want to condemn these two symbolic sisters, we should reflect on our own lives as believers. Has anything taken the place of God in our lives? Do we care more about things of the world as compared with the things of God? Do we desire or even covet the "gods" of the world? God doesn't want us to lack, but He warns us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33). If God is not enough for us, nothing will satisfy our insatiable needs. If our desire is to be like others and attain things, we might be drawn away from God and drawn towards those things we crave for. Satisfaction and contentment in God is relevant for our Christian journey.
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